A system and method for remote inspection of a space

Abstract

An example method for enabling inspection of a space includes: obtaining a space map representing the space to be inspected; rendering the space map to be presented at an inspection station for the inspection of the space; in response to navigation data, navigating within the space map for the inspection of the space; in response to a selection of an inspection capture point defined in the space map, presenting data representing the space captured at the inspection capture point; and generating inspection result data for the space, the inspection result data representing results of the inspection.

1 . A method for performing an inspection of a space, the method comprising:
 obtaining a space map representing the space to be inspected;   rendering the space map to be presented at an inspection station for the inspection of the space;   in response to navigation data, navigating within the space map for the inspection of the space;   in response to a selection of an inspection capture point defined in the space map, presenting data representing the space captured at the inspection capture point; and   generating inspection result data for the space, the inspection result data representing results of the inspection and including one of:
 a new data capture request to complete the inspection of the space; and 
 an approval of the space. 
   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein rendering the space map comprises rendering the inspection capture point as a data capture point indicator in the space map. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein rendering the space map comprises:
 obtaining a mesh for the space map;   obtaining image data representing the space; and   texturing the mesh with the image data.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the data representing the space comprises one or more of: image data, video data, audio data, and sensor data. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein presenting the data comprises:
 displaying an image captured at the inspection capture point; and   rendering, in the space map, a data capture point indicator as a pyramid having an apex at the inspection capture point and a base representing an image plane of the image.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the inspection result data further comprises one or more of: annotations, comments, and regulatory links. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein generating the inspection result data comprises:
 applying an annotation to a current view of the space map; and   mapping the annotation to a nearest underlying surface in the current view.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein generating the inspection result data comprises:
 applying an annotation to a current view of the space map;   selecting a viewpoint frustum and a viewpoint direction based on the current view;   in response receiving a defined depth, setting an annotation plane at the defined depth from the viewpoint frustum, perpendicular to the viewpoint direction; and   mapping the annotation to the annotation plane.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein generating the inspection result data comprises generating the new data capture request including a new inspection capture point and an inspection capture direction based on a current view of the space map. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising generating a report based on the inspection result data. 
     
     
         11 . A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium storing machine-readable instructions, which when executed, cause a data capture device to:
 retrieve a space map representing a space to be inspected;   retrieve at least one inspection capture point defined in the space represented by the space map, the at least one inspection capture point representing a location within the space from which data representing the space is to be captured;   capture data representing the space at the at least one inspection capture point; and   send the captured data to a server to be transmitted to an inspection station for inspection of the space.   
     
     
         12 . The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of  claim 11 , wherein the instructions further cause the data capture device to orient the data capture device relative to the space map prior to capturing the data representing the space. 
     
     
         13 . The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of  claim 11 , wherein the instructions further cause the data capture device to render an inspection capture point icon at the at least one inspection capture point. 
     
     
         14 . The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of  claim 13 , wherein the inspection capture point icon is rendered as an overlay to a current data capture view of the data capture device. 
     
     
         15 . The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of  claim 11 , wherein the instructions further cause the data capture device to, when the data capture device is oriented at the at least one inspection capture point, render a guide frame for aligning the data capture device with a direction specified by at least one inspection capture point. 
     
     
         16 . The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of  claim 15 , wherein the guide frame is rendered as an overlay to a current data capture view of the data capture device. 
     
     
         17 . The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of  claim 15  or  claim 16 , wherein the instructions are further to cause the data capture device to automatically capture the data representing the space when the data capture device is aligned in the direction specified by the at least one inspection capture point. 
     
     
         18 . The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of  claim 11 , wherein the instructions are further to cause the data capture device to:
 obtain an annotation defined relative to the space map; and   render the annotation as an overlay to a current data capture view of the data capture device.   
     
     
         19 . A system for enabling remote inspection of a space, the system comprising:
 a server to store a space map of the space to be inspected;   a data capture device in communication with the server, the data capture device to:
 capture data representing the space at one or more inspection capture points; and 
 send the captured data and locations of the one or more inspection capture points to the server; 
   an inspection station in communication with the server, the inspection station to:
 obtain the space map and the captured data associated with the inspection capture points from the server; 
 locate the inspection capture points within the space map; and 
 present the space map and the captured data for inspection of the space. 
   
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein the inspection station is further to generate inspection result data comprising one or more of: annotations, comments, regulatory links, and new data capture requests. 
     
     
         21 . A method of performing an inspection of a space, the method comprising:
 obtaining a space map representing the space to be inspected;   obtaining at least one inspection capture point defined in the space, the at least one inspection capture point representing a location within the space from which data representing the space is to be captured and specifying inspection data to be captured;   guiding capture of the specified inspection data at the at least one inspection capture point;   presenting the captured inspection data within a rendered space map at an inspection station; and   generating inspection result data for the space, the inspection result data representing results of the inspection and including one of:
 a new data capture request to complete the inspection of the space; and 
 an approval of the space. 
   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein obtaining the space map comprises capturing, at a data capture device, data representing the space; and
 generating the space map using the captured data.   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 21  or  claim 22 , wherein obtaining the at least one inspection capture point comprises:
 presenting the rendered space map at the inspection station; 
 receiving navigation data at the inspection station to specify a space map location in the space map, the space map location corresponding to the location in space; and 
 defining the at least one inspection capture point and defining the specified inspection data to be captured there. 
 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein presenting the captured inspection data comprises rendering the space map as a three-dimensional model and displaying the inspection data within the three-dimensional model. 
     
     
         25 . A method of inspecting a space comprising:
 obtaining a space map representing the space to be inspected;   an inspector defining an inspection capture point for a specified location and defining inspection data to be captured there;   forwarding the inspection capture point to a data capture device used by a user in the space;   the user capturing the inspection data at the specified location;   presenting the captured inspection data at an inspection station; and   the inspector defining inspection result data for the space, the inspection result data representing results of the inspection and including one of:
 a new data capture request to complete the inspection of the space; and 
 an approval of the space.